


A Crown of White

by morninginmarch



Series: Coloursverse [1]
Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Police, Crimes & Criminals, Established Hunhan, M/M, Pre-OT3, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-11 01:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2048418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morninginmarch/pseuds/morninginmarch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Deer and the Doll; Asia's most notorious thieving duo. Stealing whatever piques their interest and leaving law enforcement continuously frustrated in their wake. Enter Jongin, a police officer still seen as a rookie two years into his career with self proclaimed 'best friend' Chanyeol. When Officer Jongin winds up guarding a crown that the Deer and the Doll inevitably stole, he finds himself in a much sticker situation than he could have ever bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Crown of White

**Author's Note:**

> Uploaded also on AFF under the same username

When Jongin was little, he had always looked up to his father. Chief Superintendent of the police force; a moral, reputable man who did what was best for the country and what was best for his family. It made sense then, that Jongin himself would enter the police force. He was clever, with a sharp enough mind to crack the hardest cases and he knew that he was capable of becoming a renowned detective.

Unfortunately, the force valued experience over natural talent and they ignored Jongin's potential. He majored in criminology and received a position in the police force almost instantly. Two years later however, he still was regarded as a rookie officer, despite his ability to be so much better than the high-ranking inspectors there. He found it insulting that he, Jongin, top of his grade all year every year, was lumped together with officers that were fresh out of police academy and too slow to even assist in the easiest of crimes. Jongin deserved better than to be the coffee boy, he was supposed to be leading the taskforce, not locked out of the room!

Still, no matter how much he had complained and how much his father was conspicuously absent from those meetings, he still remained down at the bottom of the ladder, having to listen to his partner Chanyeol, an officer two years his senior who had joined the force at the same time as Jongin, go on and on about his escapades with a guy called... It didn't matter. Jongin was simply nodding at the appropriate moments. It wasn't as if Chanyeol even noticed his lack of attention.

"Jongin!"

He lifted his head from his palm at the sound, tilting his chin slightly in the direction of the voice. By the door stood Inspector Junmyeon, holding a clipboard with his black cap tucked under his arm. A pen was balanced in his mouth and Jongin cringed at the thought of the germs gathering on the nib. Junmyeon handled most of the rookies and was an easy enough guy to get along with, a gentle smile almost always present on his face. He was also so incredibly boring and by the book that Jongin felt like the inspector's talks could lull him to sleep.

"Sir," Jongin saluted as he walked over before clasping his hands behind his back and straightening his spin. He held his head high, looking Junmyeon squarely where his eyes would be if the inspector looked up.

"Jongin." Junmyeon ran the pen from his mouth down the white paper on the black clipboard, the tip of his tongue darting out to wet his lips. "You're on guard duty tonight."

Jongin blinked. "I'm sorry, but what?"

Only then did Junmyeon look up, a small frown creasing his forehead between his eyebrows. "You are on guard duty," he repeated stiffly, the disapproval at Jongin's questioning of the order clear in his voice. If Jongin were less prideful, he would back down then and there.

Unfortunately, Jongin was far too sure of his ability. "Guard duty?" Guard duty was for imbecilic officers who didn't have enough brain cells to do anything else other than stand there and look intimidating. Guard duty was for guys with the muscle outweighing their brain by the millions. Guard duty was beneath him. "Aren't there more... _fitting_ people for the job?" Jongin sneered.

Junmyeon was normally a nice person. Everyone knew him as the easy-going gentle officer who spoke kind words; utter nonsense according to Jongin. His praises were empty and unneeded. But now, Junmyeon's eyes darkened, his chin lifting to assert his authority and remind Jongin that despite his father being the Chief Superintendent and despite all his potential, Junmyeon was his superior.

"You will do as I say and you will not take that tone with me," Junmyeon forced out between a tightened jaw. "Is that understood?"

It was a marvellous show of self-control that Jongin didn't do anything drastic. He could hear the silence that had fallen over the cafeteria and the whispers that threatened to tear his attention away. Whispers of his arrogance and Junmyeon's rightful actions. Jongin cast his eyes downwards, fingernails digging hard enough into his palm that he could feel the blood flowing underneath; close enough to break his skin.

He thrust his chin into the air, not taking his eyes off the inspector. "Yes sir."

"Good." Junmyeon offered a curt nod and turned away. "Do that again and by the gods I will remove you, your father be damned."

"Of course sir."

~

Two hours in the darkness and even Jongin was beginning to feel his eyelids droop, his grip slackening on his flashlight. The only other light shone directly on the crown. The crown appeared to have come out of a medieval film, only four centimetres tall and made to sit across the forehead rather than on top of the skull. It was made of a bronzed gold with white gems set around the perimeter.

Jongin blinked and shook his head, forcing himself to look away from the glint of light on the gold and clenched his fists, resolutely vowing to stay awake.

Perhaps this was one of the only times that Jongin was glad of his lower rank. If he had to stand there any longer, he might just fall asleep right there like a horse - standing on its feet. It was the first time that he didn't complain about being forced to go on a coffee trip, the cool night hair slapping away the weariness and utter boredom that threatened to overwhelm him.

Jongin pressed the weakly blinking buttons on the vending machine, slotting in coins and waiting impatiently as the machine coughed out feeble attempts of coffee. It was almost soothing, the steady hum and his eyelids started to fall again. The sharp ding as the four cups finished jolted him out of his lethargic state. Jongin juggled the scalding Styrofoam as he walked back, careful not to spill a drop of the liquid on himself. It wasn't difficult; Jongin was a dancer and he had perfect balance, holding three in one hand and drinking too fast from the other. He grimaced as he felt the metallic tang of his burnt tongue hit the back of his throat.

In the end, his careful attempts at keeping the cups balanced amounted to nothing as he turned the corner. Later he would deny it and insist that it could hardly be his fault. And no one would dare to blame him on it when he returned, only to find the circles from the flashlights cast haphazardly across the walls, his colleagues slumped face-down on the ground.

Jongin ignored the coffee stains on his boots, walking over while analysing the situation. The crown remained on its pedestal but the sole reason for anyone to come here would be to steal it. This meant…Jongin paused his train of thought, checking and relaxing slightly when he realised the other guards weren't dead, simply tranquilised. This meant that the thieves were still here.

His revelation sent a cold bucket of ice sliding down his spine, Jongin stood up abruptly, his hand flying to his holster, his other reaching for his walkie-talkie. Jongin frowned as he walked up to the pedestal, the buttons he pressed gave him nothing but an irritating burst of static and after trying a few more times, he nearly screamed in frustration, throwing it down.

The crown seemed to beckon Jongin closer and he went, staring at the multi-faceted crystals, which he would later deny as reverence. He found himself entranced with the detail that had been meticulously carved into the piece; the thin rivers of silver snaking amongst the gold and the white. The star-like lines drew together an otherwise ostentatious crown and he reached out his fingers subconsciously, wanting to trace those tracks.

"Back away pretty boy."

Jongin's head shot up and he straightened his back that he didn't even realise had been bent, fingers withdrawing like they had been burnt. His first instinct was to go for his gun but in his distraction, he found the holster empty, his hands closing on nothing but leather.

He had little time to wonder about the whereabouts of his gun, he hadn't heard it drop to the floor, but his question was answered when he felt it press at the base of his skill, digging in sharp enough that Jongin could feel it move when he swallowed. He cursed himself for letting his guard down, so hypnotised by the crown that his senses had been dulled enough to let the thieves get one over him.

Jongin's annoyance at not being given his glory moment dimmed when the man who had spoken walked into his view and Jongin realised then that he had absolutely no chance. Anyone in law enforcement from Asia would recognise the golden half-mask that the man wore and Jongin had no doubt that the other man behind him wore an identical mask only in silver.

They were called the Deer and the Doll and in any other life, Jongin would have laughed at the cheesy aliases that seemed directly out of a western movie. But even with the ridiculous titles, the pair had built up a reputation for themselves worldwide (but mostly centred in Asia) as the best, most notorious thieves that existed. They didn't steal for any reason, other than the fact that they could and they only took the ones that interested them personally. At least that was what most of the officers thought, as some of the more precious artefacts remained under glass cases and laser beams in their museums.

It was their signature, not to kill anyone. The tranquiliser darts should have set the alarm bells ringing in Jongin's mind; there was no sign of struggle and barely a drop of blood spilled. It was almost as if the pair of thieves had morals, which made Jongin scoff when he had first heard about them. Then there was the plain white mask; similar to the ones they wore except this white mask was plastic. Wherever they stole, the Deer and the Doll would leave the white mask in the crown, or painting or gemstone's place, taunting the authorities as each lead became a dead end.

Jongin's fingers twitched towards his phone, a heavy weight by his left side. If he could just reach it…but the gun pressed harder against his head and a hand with pale, slender fingers closed around his wrist in a vice-like grip. "Don't even try," a voice whispered and Jongin cursed silently, but forced his hand to remain still.

The Deer wore the golden mask and he reached casually for the crown, spinning it on his fingers. It was only then that Jongin realised that the laser field surrounding the crown had long since been disabled, he wouldn't even have a hand anymore if it had still been there when he was that close.

"Lovely thing, isn't it?" The Deer remarked, placing it on his head and giving an experimental twirl. It fell over his mask and the Deer took it back off with a frown. "Typical." He turned and threw the crown carelessly over his shoulder, his attention now fixed on positioning the white mask on the pedestal.

The Doll, no doubt wearing the silver mask behind Jongin raised a hand to catch the crown. To do that, Jongin realised that for a split second, the thief's attention would no longer be on him. Just as the crown was within grasp, Jongin felt the pressure of the gun recede slightly and he took his chance, driving his elbow in to the soft flesh of the Doll's stomach and relishing in the cry of surprise. The crown clattered behind them, forgotten as Jongin twisted the Doll's arm holding the gun into a position that forced the Doll's grip to loosen then Jongin kicked the pistol out, catching it before it fell and aiming at the Doll.

Jongin's chest was heaving thought he scuffle had only lasted a few seconds. The Doll didn't look frightened; in fact Jongin judged from the twist of the thief's lips, he seemed almost amused as he raised his hands.

"Go on then," the Doll drawled. "Shoot me officer." He walked closer, ignoring the threat of the gun until it was pressed directly above his heart. "Bit inconvenient though without these."

Jongin's eyes widened as he stared at the magazine held in the Doll's grip, pulling the trigger only to hear the empty click. "What?" Jongin blurted out.

The next moment, Jongin found himself contacting painfully with the concrete ground, a sharp flash of fire shooting up his spine. A booted foot connected with his jaw, Jongin could feel the blood welling up from his split lip. The Doll entwined his hand in Jongin's dark locks, forcing him up onto his knees with a foot planted on his calves to stop him escaping.

"Enough," The Deer finally spoke up and he was a lot closer than he had been before. The Deer's hand was holding the Doll's fist, his arm raised in preparation to deliver Jongin a punch that hadn't come. "Look at him," the Deer gestured and Jongin gave him his best glare. "You've ruined his pretty face."

Jongin's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

None of them paid any attention him if the Doll's tightening of the hand in his hair was any indication. "But he started it!" A childish whine left the Doll's lips, before being shushed by the Deer.

Jongin closed his jaw with an audible snap, when the Deer squatted down to be on eye level with Jongin's kneeling form. The Deer reached a hand out and grasped his chin firmly, despite Jongin's attempt to flinch away. He was close enough that Jongin could see the Deer's eyes behind the mask, the light throwing flecks of gold amongst the brown and…Why was Jongin thinking that?

"What's your name?" The Deer asked. Jongin pressed his lips together, giving the Deer a vehement stare. He had said enough already. It was as if the Deer had expected that reply though and he simply sighed, retracting his hands. Jongin exhaled sharply in relief.

But then the grating sound of his jacket zipper being pulled down caused Jongin to tense again, heat rising up his neck when the Deer placed his hands on Jongin's chest, moving them down so lightly, that Jongin shivered. "W-What are you doing?" Jongin wetted his lips slightly, he was certain that his face was completely red now.

The Deer looked up, his eyes wide and innocent behind the mask. "Looking for your ID," he replied as if it was completely natural, for his hands to be wandering dangerously low down Jongin's back.

"It's Jongin!" The Deer stopped; his palms radiating heat at the bottom of Jongin's spine and Jongin swore that he heard something that sounded like an aborted chuckle from the Doll. "Kim Jongin," he repeated for clarification. He would later insist that he did not feel any loss when the Deer let go.

"Kim Jongin," the Deer pronounced, rolling the name around his mouth in a way that was almost seductive. "Beautiful name for a beautiful person."

Jongin choked, the blush that he had so valiantly fought off previously returning to his cheeks. "Beautiful isn't a word that most people would associate with me."

"No?" the Deer said, rubbing the pad of his thumb against Jongin's lower lip, his gaze heavy-lidded. "Most people are wrong then."

The Doll then yanked Jongin's head back, his scalp screaming from the sudden burn and his neck arching in discomfort as he stared at the silver mask. The Doll pursed his thin lips; eyes raking over Jongin's vulnerable form and Jongin would be lying if he said that he didn't feel completely exposed. "Definitely wrong."

Perhaps it was the clink of the crown as the Deer shifted it that grounded Jongin and made him realise that he was conversing with two notorious criminals. "You're both fucking perverts," Jongin muttered with no real heat and the Deer simply laughed, their hot breath fanning over the arch of Jongin's neck.

"Only for the pretty ones," the Doll admitted with a shameless grin.

"You meet many 'pretty ones'?"

"None as gorgeous as you," the Deer said, his voice low. There was a pause and a rustle before the Deer spoke again. "Time's up, let's go."

The Doll released his grip on Jongin's hair and he returned his head to its normal position, rolling his shoulders gratefully. "We'll see you soon," the Doll patted Jongin's head; _as if he were a dog_ , he fumed.

"What makes you think that I want to see you again?"

"You don't have to want to," the Doll grinned, cupping Jongin's cheek and leaning in close. "Very sorry."

'For what?' was on the tip of Jongin's tongue but he didn't get a chance to ask when he felt something smash into the back of his head. Lying face down on the ground, just before he blacked out, Jongin thought that he heard something.

"Maybe we'll just steal you."

~

Two days later, the door to the Chief Superintendant's office slammed open and his son stormed out, fury waging war in his brown eyes. Most of the people gave him a wide berth, but there were some who ignored the rage emitting from Jongin's every pore and walked up beside him.

"Jongin!" Chanyeol called out, the tall man walking in step with Jongin. "What happened? Did chief give you an ultimatum? I mean he really wouldn't considering that you're his son but he seemed to be really interested in you about why you weren't tranquilised but physically knocked out instead. It's sort of strange don't you think that-"

Jongin grabbed Chanyeol by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "If you don't shut up right now I'm going to punch you." There was a beat of silence before Jongin sighed, loosening his grip. "I'm sorry it's just," Jongin sighed heavily. "My father dared to consider the fact that I might have been working with Asia's most infamous thieving duo."

Chanyeol let a breath whistle out through his teeth. "Ouch."

"Yeah."

They walked in an amicable silence, for the first time in the three years that they had known each other. "Do you want to grab lunch?" Chanyeol asked, expecting a rejection like all the other times Chanyeol had tried to get to know his partner better. Jongin gave Chanyeol a sideways glance then turned his gaze forward and shrugged.

"Okay."

Jongin walked forward a few more steps before he realised that Chanyeol was no longer with him, turning around to find his partner ten steps behind. "O-okay?" Chanyeol repeated and at Jongin's nod, a wide grin stretched over his face. "This is the first time in history that the elusive Jongin has agreed to be social! I need my camera."

Jongin rolled his eyes and continued walking, only allowing the small half-grin at Chanyeol's antics surface when his back was turned. "Hurry up before I change my mind."

Chanyeol led them to a café ten minutes walk from the station, insisting that they made the best coffee. Coffee his ass, Jongin smirked when he realised exactly what, or more precisely whom Chanyeol had come to the café for. Chanyeol spent the entire time waiting for his order by resting his chin on the glass and following the short barista with his eyes. From his vantage, Jongin couldn't read the nametag but only a fool wouldn't notice the love-struck look on Chanyeol's face.

When their order was finished, Chanyeol looked disappointed as he walked back, handing Jongin a cup of coffee, black and two sandwiches.

"So," Chanyeol started, before Jongin could get in a comment about the barista. He paused then, as if deliberating over his words, which shocked Jongin because Chanyeol did not, _should_ not possess a mind-to-mouth filter.

"So…?" Jongin raised an eyebrow, lifting his coffee up for a drink.

Chanyeol leaned back, as if he were to drop the question but then gave up, suddenly leaning forward again with his arms on his knees. "Were they cute?"

Jongin spat out his coffee, earning a 'gross!' from Chanyeol. "What!"

"Oh come on, like you haven't seen the photos of them!" Chanyeol waved his arms about drastically. "Even with the masks on, which only covers their eyes to their nose by the way, they haven't got half-bad bodies. You know, for criminals," Chanyeol added in defensively.

"You want to talk about cute guys?" Jongin winced the moment it had come out of his mouth, hoping that Chanyeol didn't notice his slip-up. His cheeks warmed at the memory of that night, which was most certainly not standard behaviour for criminals towards police officers. "How about you start. What's the deal with you and the barista?"

Now it was Chanyeol's turn to blush, sending a furtive glance over to said barista that Jongin had to cover his grin with his sandwich. Chanyeol was so obvious that it was laughable. "W-what deal? There is no deal. No deal at all," Chanyeol stuttered, a lie so obvious it was painful.

"Uh-huh," Jongin nodded, not buying a word of it. "Didn't you have a guy named Kyungsoo last week? Is your thing with Kyungsoo the same as your thing with this guy?"

"No!" Jongin smirked as he noticed Chanyeol's mistake. Chanyeol seemed to become aware of it too, closing his eyes in defeat. "No…Kyungsoo was just a fuck. Baekhyun is…" Chanyeol sighed, staring up at the ceiling with veritable stars in his eyes. "Baekhyun is different," Chanyeol finished off lamely.

"Alright then, Romeo." The conversation wandered down another path, Jongin grateful for the first time of Chanyeol's capacity to fill the silence with inane chatter. The rest of their lunch was filled with small talk.

Later that day, Jongin and Chanyeol had a dusk patrol together, wandering the street in plain clothing as the last fingers of the sun's ray let go of the horizon. It was quiet on the lamp lit streets, the occasional jogger passed them by, finishing their runs and families and couples walked into the bright restaurants.

They neared the park, mostly empty as the temperature dropped steadily. "I'm bored," Chanyeol finally declared, voicing the sentiment that Jongin had been holding in for the past hour. Now that Chanyeol had mentioned it, Jongin's restlessness seemed to grow tenfold.

"I know," Jongin replied, running an agitated hand through his already rumpled hair. They had already walked the same streets six times and there were no disturbances. It was a weeknight, there weren't likely to be any drunken civilians on the loose. "But we have to do this for another hour or so."

"Or we could skip it."

Jongin stopped dead in the middle of the street, Chanyeol walking ten more paces before he realised that his partner was no longer with him. "Skip it?" Jongin repeated in disbelief. "We can't just 'skip it', are you mad?"

Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, a broad grin on his face. "Why not? No one will know. And besides, even for all your moral high grounds, this? This is dumb and more dumb." He waved a lanky arm around animatedly, narrowly missing taking out some passerby's eye. "This is the shit they assign to first years, not guys like us!"

Jongin pursed his lips, folding his arms tight across his chest as he considered his options. On one hand, he could not die of boredom for the next hour. On the other hand, if something happened and they weren't there, they were most definitely in for it. He sighed.

"Fine."

"Yes!" Chanyeol pumped his fist into the air, Jongin covering his eyes in embarrassment from the glances they were attracting. "I knew you would come around!"

Jongin stabbed Chanyeol in the ribs with a finger, muttering a "if we get caught it's your fault." The taller of the two winced slightly at the remark, but his exuberance at his success quickly won as he grabbed Jongin by the arm and dragged him to a door complete with flashing lights.

"Let's go inside!" Chanyeol yelled, pointing down the stairs. Jongin frowned, pulling away to look at the neon sign from a further distance.

"Chanyeol!" Jongin hissed. "This is a _gay club_!" Chanyeol simply looked confused at Jongin's reluctance.

"And…?" Chanyeol watched quietly, a feat that did not happen often, as Jongin attempted to formulate a sentence, his mouth opening and closing many times before Chanyeol lost his patience. "Whatever, hurry up already!" Before Jongin could retort, he was already being forcibly pulled down the stars and through the double doors.

Inside, the music was so loud that Jongin could barely hear himself think. The floor was quite literally vibrating from the noise and the lights; the swirl of white and neon was almost too much to look at. Chanyeol pulled Jongin past the swarm of moving bodies to the bar, depositing Jongin on a stool before taking a seat himself.

Jongin allowed Chanyeol to do the ordering, swivelling to take a better look. On stage, three performers, two men and one woman gyrated around a pole each, wearing far less than socially acceptable. Jongin quickly averted his eyes. It wasn't that he was a virgin nor that he was closeted but he had always felt uncomfortable flaunting his sexuality all over the place, a problem that Chanyeol neither possessed nor understood.

When Jongin turned around, he was just in time to see Chanyeol be pulled into the crowd of moving bodies, essentially leaving Jongin awkwardly twiddling his thumbs by the bar. He wasn't actually sure if Chanyeol had gotten anything for him or if he had been too sidetracked by the people. Probably the latter Jongin decided, he wouldn't put it past Chanyeol.

"Why is someone like you all alone?" Jongin looked up as a man slid smoothly into the seat next to him. On his other side, another man sat down, placing his elbows on the table and his chin on his palms. Jongin could feel the back of his neck heating up from the intense stare of both of the stranger's kohl-lined eyes.

Jongin pointed his thumb behind him, jerking his head backwards replying with "I'm not alone. My friend is… _was_ with me." He winced internally at his slight slip-up.

The man who had spoken pursed his lips, shaking his head so that his golden bangs fell over his eyes. "Not a very good friend then." Jongin frowned as he spoke. There was something about his voice that sounded vaguely familiar, but with the bright lights and pounding music turning his brain into mush, Jongin couldn't quite place it.

At that point the second man leaned over the counter, waving down the bartender, leaning over the counter as to not scream. Jongin tilted his head in an attempt to hear what he said but to no avail. "So," the first man with the golden hair drawled, trailing his fingers distractingly across the black countertop. Jongin couldn't help but notice how long and slim they were, and rather pale, Jongin decided from the way they caught the flashing strobe lights so vibrantly. He jerked his eyes back up to the man quickly, rubbing the back of his neck to avoid meeting the knowing glint in the stranger's eyes.

"What's your name?" The blonde one asked. There was a slight pause as he caught his bottom lip between his teeth as if he were deliberating a choice. "My name is…Luhan. My friend here is Sehun."

"I'm Jongin," replied Jongin, furrowing his brow further in contemplation. Eventually he gave up and decided to ask the question that had been niggling at him the entire conversation. "Have we met before?"

There was a throaty chuckle from behind him before a brightly orange coloured liquid was thrust before him. "I think we would have remembered someone like _you_." That was Sehun, Jongin remembered, around the same height as he was with brown hair that fell in straight bangs unlike the more side-swept fringe that Luhan sported.

Jongin picked up his glass, poking at the glace cherry gloating around in it before giving in an experimental sniff. The pungent smell of alcohol burnt through his nose and Jongin turned his head slightly to rove over the moving bodies, looking for Chanyeol before turning back to his drink. It was only one, Jongin would be fine and not too hung-over to work tomorrow morning and have everyone know that he had been skiving off.

Sehun and Luhan however had other ideas. Once they had moved into a relatively private booth where the nearest body of dancers were at least one metre away, the conversation and alcohol flowed. One drink soon multiplied into a number that Jongin was too tipsy to remember. It was surprisingly easy to talk to both of them, even for Jongin who was too married to his work to have a social life really.

Jongin didn't know how much time had passed before Sehun stood up, each offering a hand to him. He stared at him in confusion, unable to comprehend the action. After a few seconds pause Sehun laughed, eyes crinkling up at the corners into half-moon crescents. "Dance with me silly."

Jongin laughed perhaps a bit too loudly and freely than if he were sober. "I don't dance." He wasn't sure exactly why he had decided to lie at the moment, perhaps he had felt that they would not appreciate his style of dancing, but then again, why would anyone do anything without inhibitions?

His lie clearly fell through, as Sehun raised an eyebrow in disbelief. However it was Luhan who spoke. "Liar~" Luhan sang, moving over to drape himself over Jongin, trailing the same long fingers that had fascinated Jongin before down his chest and stomach. "You have a dancer's physique." Jongin tried to ignore the spark that had shot right through him at the touch, raising his deep brown eyes to meet Sehun's pouty face.

"Don't you want to dance with us?"

Before Jongin could formulate a response - his mouth gaping open like a goldfish - the two had grabbed one arm each and dragged him onto the dance floor, squeezing him all too close to the scantily dressed people than Jongin had been before. With his lack of inhibitions, Jongin didn't mind so much, quickly getting into the swing of things.

Amongst the frenzied dancing, there was temporarily a strange sort of peace, as if Jongin had a personal bubble that included only his two partners. He was sandwiched between them; Sehun standing behind, close enough that Jongin could feel the hard places of Sehun's chest against his back and his hot breath, welcoming against Jongin's sweaty skin. Luhan pressed himself to Jongin's front, his two hands sliding under Jongin's top to hold his bare waist, eyes looking up under a curtain of lashes that made Jongin's breath hitch in his throat.

But that moment passed and Jongin let his mind shut down and his body take over. The broken glass crunched under his shoes as Jongin grinded against Sehun's crotch, smirking when the latter's grip on his hips tightened at the action. He tilted his head back to meet Sehun's stare, grinning cheekily before flicking his eyes down to notice the intense look that Luhan had regarded the pair. This was certainly something new, both the action and the reckless excitement he felt from it. Perhaps it was because he wouldn't ever see the two strangers again.

It was only one night right?

~

Jongin woke up with a groan, attempting to open his eyes but shutting them instantly when the morning light pierced through them and into his brain like nails. He turned to muffle his face into the pillow for good measure, but the movement only served to realise his pounding headache. Giving up, Jongin sank back into the bed (sofa?) with a sigh.

"Rise and shine princess!"

Chanyeol.

Of course it was Chanyeol. Jongin moaned as the sound reverberated through his head, picking up a pillow and dumping it on his face. "I will eviscerate you," he mumbled, lacking the energy to inject any heat into it.

Chanyeol simply laughed, a great booming laugh that agitated Jongin's irritation. He lobbed the pillow somewhere in the general vicinity of the sound, silently cheering when the yelp from Chanyeol indicated that it had found its mark. A glass of water clinked as it was placed on the table along with a few pills.

"And I was being nice as well…"

Jongin blindly reached for the tablets, downing them with the entire glass and holding it out again for Chanyeol to refill. "Good for you."

Later, when Jongin was freshened up and had slightly less of a headache, he managed to totter into the kitchen and collapse on the table. Chanyeol chuckled, throwing Jongin a packet of crackers that landed softly by his head, Jongin not even trying to catch it. "So," Chanyeol started, drawing up a chair opposite Jongin. "Spill."

"Go 'way," Jongin slurred, ripping open the packet with his teeth and slowly breaking the crackers into smaller pieces.

"Can't exactly. This is my apartment. I expect three thanks today, I called you in sick, rescued you from the club and even changed my shift to the evening." As he spoke, Chanyeol ticked off the three items on his left hand before turning to stare at Jongin expectantly. "So, spill."

Seeing that Chanyeol wasn't going to let up anytime soon - and Chanyeol could be quite persistent when he wanted to be - Jongin gave up, pushing himself up to rest a chin on his hand, flapping the other one around uselessly. "Stuff."

Chanyeol raised an unimpressed eyebrow. Jongin sighed, chewing slowly to stall before carefully enunciating every word. "I don't remember. I met a couple of guys. We had a few drinks. We danced. Then…not sure, it kind of goes fuzzy there."

Chanyeol hammered his fist into the table a few times, articulating each bang with a "Details!" while Jongin winced at the loud sound.

"I'm going for a run," Jongin decided. Anything to get away from Chanyeol for a bit, he was so cheerful that it was grating on his nerves. Chanyeol was there with him, how come he wasn't in as terrible shape as Jongin felt? The door slammed behind him, but not before he heard Chanyeol shout, "Fine! But I expect them later!" Well, Jongin could deal with it later, too.

The fresh air felt good to breathe in, chasing the last stench of alcohol from his mouth. Jongin smiled as his nerves eased, deciding to forego his usual route around the park. It was much later than his usual time as well; the park was now filled with noisy children and their parents and what he wanted was someplace quiet and preferably isolated. Thus Jongin turned down a smaller street, running temporarily through a darkened alley before he emerged into the warm sunshine.

Half an hour later, Jongin was officially lost, panting heavily and resting his hands on his knees as he looked around. He realised now that he should have at least brought his phone along with him when he was trying out a new route but he had been so intent on leaving the stifling apartment that he hadn't stopped to think about things logically. Jongin sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow and running an irritated hand through his hair, so that it stuck up in spikes.

When Jongin had been looking for somewhere isolated, lost in his own thoughts, he had found somewhere that looked almost decrepit. The houses were old and seemed unlived in and the ground that he was standing on was cold to touch, like the sunlight never reached it. He didn't like the feel of the place, walking to retrace his steps when his foot hit something. It was a white mask.

Even with his reduced mental state, it didn't take long for Jongin to recognise it, squatting down to confirm the shape, made from a flimsy plastic. "What the hell...?" Jongin muttered, standing up slowly and surveying the area closely again. "What is there here that could be worthy to steal?" The Deer and the Doll only stole from the elite, the cream of the crop. In a run-down area like this, it was impossible that there was anything that could have piquedtheir interest.

"I think that there is something here, that might interest Asia's finest thieving duo." Jongin recognised the sound before he saw the face, turning around to find Sehun from last night walking up to him with a carefree smile.

"Hello Sehun," Jongin smiled back, albeit a bit stiffly as his mind whirred with confusion. He tilted his head in confusion, bringing up a hand subconsciously to fiddle with his hair. "What are you doing here?"

Sehun strolled leisurely towards Jongin, stopping close enough to touch. "Did you know Jongin, that it's very hard to pique the attention of…the Deer and the Doll?"

A pit was starting to settle in Jongin's stomach, twisting a feeling of dread through his body. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here." Jongin forced out through gritted teeth, his hands feeling around his waist before he remembered that he was off-duty and he did not have his gun with him.

The mask rattled against the ground as Sehun nudged at it with his foot. "I think that there is only one thing worth taking around here," Sehun commented casually, eyes slowly rising from the mask to Jongin's face.

"Answer the question!" Jongin shouted, his voice echoing around the area. "What are you doing here?"

Sehun paused, holding Jongin's angry gaze for a few seconds before sighing. The two of them knew just how futile this was, Jongin had already figured it out yet he did not want to believe it, needing the confirmation. Sehun reached into a pocket, drawing out something silver and placing it on his face, a porcelain half-mask seen so many times in security camera footages.

"Business," the Doll grinned.

However before Jongin could muster up his anger and frustration, something slammed into the back of his head. Jongin blacked out before he even hit the ground.

~

Regaining consciousness was like a tsunami of pain that gradually faded to a dull throb, at the base of Jongin's skull. Black dots danced in his vision, as he slowly blinked them away until his mind shot to clarity with the events of the past - how long had he been out anyway?

Jongin bolted upright, or at least he attempted to was it not for the handcuffs, one on each wrist attached to a bedpost each that pulled him back down before he had even reached halfway. It was the rattling of the chains that caught Sehun's attention - who looked up from throwing his silver mask up and down in the air.

"Oh good, you're awake."

Jongin glared angrily at Sehun, sealing his lips tightly and giving his restraints a pointed glare. Luckily Sehun understood, quick to provide an explanation that did nothing to quell the flames of indignation fuelling Jongin. "Luhan's idea. He said that you might be erratic when you regained consciousness." Sehun let his eyes trail very prominently over Jongin's prone body, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Besides, they look very good on you."

The comeback Jongin had prepared died on his lips. He turned his head to the side, willing his heartbeat to return to a normal pace, for his blood to start circulating more evenly again. "Why did you tell me who you were?" Jongin changed the subject, meeting Sehun's eyes again with a stronger determination. "I could rat you out to the force."

"But you won't," replied Sehun with a self assured tone.

"Won't I?" Jongin challenged.

"No."

And it was true. Now that Jongin thought about it, he didn't seem to like the idea of revealing the Deer and the Doll's identity as much as he would have just a few days ago. Had he developed an attachment to a pair of criminals? The very thought of that was horrifying and most certainly not one that would advance his career as a detective. Besides, Jongin had an inkling that even if he were to perform a search on their names, there wouldn't be anything in the database in order to create a plausible case.

"Fine," Jongin grudgingly conceded. "So, can you take these off yet?" He pointedly rattled the cuffs, letting the metal hit against the bed loudly and continuously.

This time it wasn't Sehun who answered but Luhan. "We can, if you promise not to do anything foolish." Jongin craned his neck to the side to watch Luhan, grabbing Jongin's vulnerable left hand and twisting the cuff to the thinnest part of Jongin's wrist. A raised pink welt was revealed on the tanned skin that the cuff had cut into before and for some reason both thieves seemed discontent at the sight of the minor injury, Luhan's jaw tightening as he stroked the injury on the underside of Jongin's arm carefully. Jongin would be lying to say that he felt nothing at the touch.

Luhan took his time in unlocking the restraints but Jongin mustered up patience that he didn't know he possessed. Thus he waited without a sound, as first his left then right hand was freed. Jongin sat up slowly on the bed, rubbing at his wrists.

Then he promptly punched Luhan in the jaw.

Jongin felt unseemly rocks of guilt brewing in his stomach, when he saw Luhan's head snap back from the force and a pink mark start blossoming on his pale cheek. He didn't feel nearly as vindicated as he expected but he was given no time to deliberate on his actions before he was knocked out again. This routine was starting to become all too familiar for his liking.

This time when Jongin started awake, he was alone in the same room with no handcuffs chaining him down.  Without Sehun or Luhan, the room seemed a lot bigger, or perhaps that was because of the inexplicable amount of white in the room. The walls, the ceiling and Jongin was pretty sure the floor was also painted white though said floor was covered with a thick white carpet. The room possessed only a bed and a bedside table with a white lamp on it and when Jongin opened the drawer, he discovered the only not white articles in the entire room, a bundle of clothes that looked rather familiar.

It was then Jongin realised that he wasn't wearing the same clothes that he had been before, instead a white cashmere sweater and loose white pants. His bare feet sunk into the soft carpet, Jongin pulling at the threads of his sweater wondering just when he had been changed. At that, Jongin realised that either Sehun or Luhan would have had to do it, subconsciously covering his body with his hands at the thought.

There were no windows in the room, thus no way for Jongin to tell just how long he had been here already. Jongin padded over to the door, turning the spherical knob without expecting it to open. Surprisingly the door was in fact unlocked and Jongin swung it open gratefully, stepping out into the hallway outside.

Behind him, the door swung shut silently but Jongin paid it no heed, instead staring at the rows and rows of doors that looked exactly identical to his. It was all too easy to get lost in this place. It was at that moment that Jongin's stomach rumbled all too loudly in the completely quiet house. Warehouse? Something? Deciding that his stomach deserved priority over his logic, Jongin started walking down the hallway, trying various doors in hopes of finding a kitchen.

The first three that he tried were locked but the next one swung open, the light automatically turning on at the movement. It was clearly a living room, one wall lined completely with flat-screen televisions; a couple of beanbags on the red floor while the other three walls were filled with various portraits. Jongin thought that he recognised some of them, famous paintings that had been reported stolen. All of the paintings here must have been stolen Jongin realised; perhaps this was their gallery.

The next identical chestnut door that Jongin opened caused him to pause and stare, while his rationale told him to walk away. It was a veritable gold mine, a chandelier illuminating a spacious room that glowed with gold. Against the wall were numerous shelves that extended high, each hole holding something precious with a glass door to keep them safe. The floor itself was dotted with pedestals, parading stolen jewels too large and too prominent to fit onto the shelves. Without realising it, Jongin had walked up the cleared centre aisle, hand outstretched as if to touch them but drawing back at the last minute.

At the very end of the room, on the grandest pedestal of them all stood the crown that Jongin had been assigned to guard, sitting on a golden cushion with silver tassels. A light shone specifically on the crown, the diamonds embedded on its thin frame throwing rainbows around.

"Pretty thing, isn't it?" Jongin stiffened at the sound, willing himself not to turn around. He didn't need to as Luhan came up right behind him, hands coming up to grip at Jongin's shoulders, breath puffing across Jongin's neck and collarbone as he spoke. "Not one of my personal favourites, though."

Jongin was unceremoniously spun around as Luhan walked forward, picking up the crown with a single finger. "It's a big showy for my tastes though," Luhan pondered absentmindedly, seemingly ignoring Jongin who stood there watching Luhan's every move carefully. The blow that Jongin had dealt Luhan earlier was almost unnoticeable, only a slight swelling of the cheek if you knew to look for it.

"Really, why put so many diamonds into it?" Luhan's eyes roamed over to Jongin, lighting up as an idea struck him. "Why don't you wear it?"

That wasn't what Jongin was expecting Luhan to say, thus it took him a while to respond. When he did, it wasn't any more eloquent. "What?"

It turned out that Luhan did not need a response in the first place, ignoring Jongin's confusion and instead reading up and pulling Jongin's head down by his hair. Jongin winced at the pain but didn't resist perhaps out of guilt for punching Luhan earlier, allowing the thief to fiddle with his bangs and eventually settle the crown behind them, almost like a headband.

When Jongin felt Luhan's hands leave his head he looked up, starting when he found Luhan a lot closer than he had thought. He could count the golden flecks in Luhan's eyes, three in the left and seven in the right. "It looks good on you," Luhan murmured softly, despite his gaze never leaving Jongin's face. Jongin's mouth suddenly felt very dry and he licked his lips subconsciously, the tip of his tongue sticking out to drag across them. Luhan's eyes dropped to follow the action, eyelashes remaining lowered for far longer than was necessary.

It was completely silent punctuated only by the breathing of both occupants in the room. Jongin wasn't sure what possessed him to reach out and touch Luhan's cheek, dragging the tips of his fingers lightly down the barely swollen cheek, a damage that he himself had dealt. His breath hitched in his throat when Luhan turned to fit his cheek more against the cup of Jongin's palm, for a moment looking completely innocent and nothing like the infamous criminal that he was.

Just as suddenly as Jongin reached up, he dropped his hand as if he had been burnt, face inflaming and stepping back quickly. The moment passed and strangely, Jongin missed the proximity. "I…" Jongin's voice faltered and he cleared his throat, still unable to meet Luhan in the eye. "I want to know when I can leave." If he were ruled completely by his emotions, then there would be no way that he would want to ever leave. Sometimes he really hated his logic that told him that developing attachments to criminals wasn't a good thing for a budding detective.

When Luhan didn't respond instantly, Jongin chanced a glance in the thief's direction to find him looking away, hands stuffed in his pockets. He whirled around with a determined expression, pointing a finger at Jongin. "I have a deal for you!"

"You, what?"

"You can leave in two days. But," Of course there was always a catch. "The crown is plastic."

It didn't take long for Jongin to understand what Luhan meant with that metaphor. "You want me to pretend that you're not the best thieves in the world and that I'm not an officer who's supposed to turn you in," Jongin answered, raising an eyebrow in incredulity.

Luhan laughed, rocking back on his heels with his eyes twinkling in amusement. "That's why I like you, you're clever." He stopped, focusing on Jongin with a perplexed expression. "Why do you have to waste it on being good? Your superiors don't even appreciate your talent."

It was true, what Luhan was saying. His superior officers insisted on treating him like he couldn't be trusted to do anything on his own. Jongin wasn't the bragging type but he knew that his capabilities were well above average yet he couldn't even enter a crime scene first.

"Why do you let them treat you like a dog?" Luhan goaded softly.

Jongin clenched his fists. He knew full well what Luhan was doing and unfortunately it was also working. "Enough! You're hardly stupid." Luhan inclined his head, acknowledging the comment. "Why do you waste it on being bad?" Jongin shot back.

That stopped Luhan in his tracks. "Bad?" He repeated incredulously. The amusement was back as Luhan clasped his hands together, shaking his head like he was scolding a child. "Oh Jongin, Jongin, Jongin. We're not the bad guys here."

It was Jongin's turn to be bemused, eyes wide in mock innocence. "No? So stealing is good then. Well you learn something new every day," Jongin said sarcastically.

"There's a bigger bad out there." Luhan fixed Jongin with a serious gaze but Jongin paid him no heed, rolling his eyes at Luhan's dramatics.

"Two days and I get to go home?" Jongin decided to change the subject, looking to Luhan for confirmation. He nodded, a smirk coming over his face.

"Or you could decide to stay with us."

Jongin snorted. "Fat chance." At that moment his stomach decided to give an especially loud grumble, breaking the tense atmosphere. Luhan laughed, grabbing Jongin by the wrist and dragging him to the kitchen.

~

It was all too easy to pretend that Luhan and Sehun weren't thieving criminals and Jongin wasn't their prisoner. Once the three had agreed to 'leave their work at work', an easygoing atmosphere had been established and Jongin started to enjoy the time spent. The only thing that had made him feel uncomfortable, were the subconscious displays of affection that Luhan and Sehun did with each other but what made him feel the most uneasy was that he didn't know if he was irritated by these actions or that he wasn't a part of them.

Once Jongin had been fed and watered, Sehun declared that he was bored of South Korea and wanted to go somewhere else. So Luhan threw a dart at a world map pinned on a wall already littered with thousands of tiny holes. It landed on France. Jongin was stunned by the ease at which the two just jetted off to other places, as if money wasn't an issue…and he stopped the train of thought right there before it could wander into topics that Jongin had promised not to think about. Plastic crown after all.

"Sehun, call Chen and tell him to bring the Scorpion over!" Luhan demanded, Sehun nodding and turning to the phone hanging on the wall.

"What's the Scorpion?" Jongin asked, confusion evident in his voice. His head was already spinning from all the code names that seemed to be used in the underworld. A (blindfolded) hour-long car trip later, Jongin stepped onto the tarmac and stared up at the Scorpion with reverence in his voice. "So, _that's_ the Scorpion."

The Scorpion wasn't another person, unlike the Deer and the Doll was but a plane. The very jet itself looked dangerous, all sharp corners and streamlined wings built for speed unlike the more rounded passenger aircrafts. The entire jet was painted a dark grey, almost black with a bright orange scorpion painted on its tail, hence the name.

The three of them were carrying nothing aboard the plane, except for the small silver box Sehun held with a golden ribbon tied ostentatiously around it. A figure stood at the top of the steps that led up to the jet and as the trio neared it, Jongin identified him as presumably the pilot.

"Chen, this is Jongin," Sehun introduced, waving his hand in between the two once they had reached the top of the stairs. "Jongin, Chen."

'Chen' was most definitely an alias, Jongin decided. While it could possibly be a Chinese name, Jongin was certain that the pilot standing before them was Korean but he mentally shrugged it off, he could let them have their name game.

"Is this your new boy toy?" Chen grinned, leaning against the entrance, arms folded over his chest as his eyes swept up and down Jongin's form. Jongin's face flamed, opening his mouth to retort before Luhan intercepted him.

"Just a…friend," Luhan replied smoothly. However the wink that Luhan tossed Jongin over his shoulder suggested a thousand alternatives he would have rather chosen.

Chen clearly didn't buy it, if Jongin was to judge from the crooked smirk on his face, but said nothing. Instead, the pilot held out a hand, gesturing for Sehun come over. "Payment first." Sehun threw the box over the threshold, which Chen caught deftly with one hand, pulling the end of the ribbon with the other and opening the silver box. He reached in and lifted out a pendant, a thin gold chain with another chain inlaid with pink gems twisted around it leading towards a large trillion cut ruby. Chen scrutinised the jewellery for a second, giving Luhan a hard stare before placing it back into the box and tucking it under an arm.

"All aboard the Scorpion!" Chen proudly declared, ushering them in with a smile.

Jongin had only ever flown once before in his life, to Japan as his father's job made it difficult for them to get a long enough holiday. But even so, he was pretty sure that planes weren't supposed to look like this, even in first class. The entire cabin was furnished in a champagne colour except for the dark gold rug that ran through the middle. On either side of the cabin were large comfortable seats, a single at the top and then two pairs bringing it to a total of ten. Facing the chairs was a plasma TV in front of which was a long table holding small snacks. On each side of the TV was a beaded curtain, leading towards the pilot's cabin Jongin presumed.

"Stop ogling and move it," barked a female voice and Jongin turned to see a short, busty Eurasian girl grinning cheekily at him from the front of the cabin. Jongin did in fact move it, falling into one of the window seats on the left side and staring in confusion at the vast amount of buttons on his armrest.

"Miss Lee Raehyun," Luhan greeted warmly, sinking dramatically into a deep bow in front of her. She laughed, attempting to swat him up the head, which he dodged. "How has your suffering been at the hands of Chen?"

"Hey!" Chen protested. "I've been treating her well!"

Raehyun rolled her eyes, slapping Chen on the ass and pushing him through the beaded curtain. "Whatever. Do your job!" Chen did in fact listen to her and soon the rumbles of a jet being fired up could be heard. At that, Raehyun turned to face the three passengers, clasping her hands in front of her with a practised smile.

"For our first time flyers," Raehyun eyed Jongin. "There are a few rules. One; you break it, you pay for it. Two, what happens in the jet, stays in the jet. Other than that, life vests are under your seat, in case of emergencies, oxygen masks fall from the ceiling blah blah blah, try to stay buckled in when seated but even if you don't that doesn't really matter, it's not like anything happens." Raehyun paused, looking up towards the ceiling whilst tapping her chin in thought. "Oh right, since it's a twelve hour flight we have to feed you but otherwise you can press the button with the gorgeous girl on it to call me. But press it too many times and I'll slap you all."

Having finished her mandatory introductory speech, Raehyun turned to enter the pilot's cabin but paused, one hand stuck amongst the beads. "Right one more thing," she looked over her shoulder. "Our cabin is soundproof so you can be as loud as you want. Just don't kill anyone, the blood is hard to get out of the carpet." And with that, she tossed her curly locks over her shoulder and they heard a door slam shut not long after.

Once they had taken off and were flying steadily in the air, Jongin suddenly realised just how tired he was. Despite being knocked unconscious as greetings with Sehun and Luhan, they hadn't done anything to alleviate his fatigue. The flight was twelve hours anyhow; he could fall asleep. The only problem was, as he stared at the vast amount of white buttons on his armrest, he had no idea which one would lower his seat. He experimentally pressed the down arrow, but nothing happened except for a number changing on a small LED screen.

"It's that one." Jongin glanced up to see Sehun kneeling in the empty seat next to Jongin, his left hand propping himself up on the armrest separating the two seats and his right gesturing to the set of buttons attached to the armrest by the window. At Sehun's distance however, Jongin could not see exactly which button Sehun was indicating and so pressed one in the general direction. Evidently it was incorrect as Sehun sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"No, that one." When Jongin yet again pressed the incorrect button Sehun intervened, leaning over and grabbing Jongin's hand, guiding him to a circular white button that looked absolutely identical to the rest of them. Sehun's hand was warm on Jongin's, his milky skin a stark contrast to Jongin's own tanned. The touch lingered for far longer than necessary, Jongin jerking his hand away too fast to be natural.

"R-right, thanks," Jongin stuttered back, resolutely not meeting Sehun in the eye. He stabbed at the button, pushing back aggressively, turning onto his side with his back to Sehun and closed his eyes. There was a chuckle from above him. A blanket was settled over his body, cold fingers tucking it under his chin. The seat next to Jongin creaked, all the warning he received before hot breath curled over his ear as Sehun whispered, "Sleep tight, Jongin."

Then Sehun retreated, footsteps padding away to the other side of the cabin where low conversation started with Luhan. Jongin's eyes snapped open, staring at the skyline as they flew and willed his heartbeat to slow down. He was in way over his head.

Jongin slept through the majority of the flight. They had left South Korea during the afternoon, arriving in Paris after a twelve-hour flight to find it night time there. Jongin had already rested plenty and he wasn't inclined to spend another eight hours sleeping again. Sehun and Luhan were more than happy to take him around the city's nightlife instead and from the way they navigated the streets, it clearly wasn't their first time here.

This time however, Jongin avoided the clubs. He did not want a repeat of last time, not that it was unenjoyable from what Jongin remembered. What frightened him was how much he didn't remember, it wasn't like him to get drunk like that, especially on a workday.

Sehun and Luhan were perfectly pleasant companions, showing Jongin around with enthusiasm and eagerness. Jongin allowed himself to slip into a delusion that they were actually just friends, enjoying a holiday off, a decision that he would regret in hindsight. The only activity that was odd, was Jongin being pushed into a high-class store and being measured for a suit that Luhan insisted completely in white. While Jongin protested that he did not need a suit at all, Sehun simply responded with a "you will" and he was being led out of the store with a promise to come back tomorrow to pick up the suit, before he could even blink.

That night they stayed at a hotel that probably cost more than an entire month of Jongin's salary. Their suite was situated right at the top with a view overlooking the Eiffel tower, lit up in gold. There were two bedrooms and two king sized beds, Jongin opening his mouth to ask how that would work with three people before closing it at the realisation that Sehun and Luhan would share a bed.

Jongin fell asleep at a time that early risers would be waking up and tried not to think about the two in the next room.

After waking up at the early afternoon and eating a large brunch, the three of them went sightseeing. Well it was more sightseeing for Jongin's sake as he had never been that far in his entire life and was regarding everything with wide eyes. They were like typical tourists, talking all too loudly in Korean, taking photos in front of famous monuments and blocking the path for everyone else, eating the stereotypical food of the country. Jongin decided that he was going to have crepes every morning from now on.

Sitting at a café on the Champs Elysees overlooking the Arc de Triomphe, Jongin wondered that in another life, they might not have run in such different circles. Jongin felt right here, smiling around his straw as Luhan berated Sehun for yet another terrible joke.

That night, the mystery of the white suit was solved when Jongin returned to his designated bedroom in the suite to find it lying across his bedspread with an elaborate white masquerade mask lying beside it. Silver glitter created intricate patterns around the half mask, which tapered off to a sharp point. On its left side were a few white feathers sprinkled with gold glitter when Jongin looked closer.

"Is that for…?" Jongin trailed off, staring at the ensemble with mixed feelings of horror and bemusement.

"Masquerade ball!" Sehun exclaimed, clapping his hands together in excitement. In his hand he also held a mask but less extravagant than Jongin's, lacking a feather. It was however far more ornamental than the Doll's traditional mask but remained silver. Luhan showed a gold mask almost identical to Sehun's, holding the same decorative patterns but a different shape. Whilst Sehun's was more rounded, Luhan's was all sharp edges.

"Are you serious?" Jongin asked in disbelief, looking from his outfit to Sehun's mask to Luhan's mask and back to his with a growing expression of terror. "I don't know how to act for these!"

That seemed to alleviate Sehun and Luhan's growing expressions of worry, like they had been worried he wouldn't like the idea of a masked ball. "It's fine," Luhan smiled reassuringly, patting Jongin's back. "Just be yourself and everyone will love you. Besides it's not really a ball, but a bunch of fancy people seeing the opening of a new art gallery."

"I can't even speak French properly."

Sehun walked over, slinging an arm across Jongin's shoulders. "We can. Just stick with us then."

At that point, Luhan clapped his hands, signalling for their attention with a look at his watch. "Let's get dressed! It's in an hour so we need to get going." The door closed silently behind Luhan and Sehun, as they left Jongin's bedroom.

A wry smile twisted Jongin's lips as he stared at the white suit and white mask. He had to admit, he was a bit excited for this and he had never been to something of this calibre before. How on earth did Sehun and Luhan even get invitations to this function anyway? Jongin decided not to contemplate on it, pulling off his top and starting to change.

Luhan and Sehun were already sitting in the living room, dressed in black tuxedos with their masks lying on their laps by the time Jongin finished and exited his room. The conversation stopped, both of them turning to stare at Jongin in absolute silence. When a few seconds of this passed, Jongin felt very self-conscious, starting to hunch in on himself, awkwardly standing in front of the pair.

Then Luhan spoke, breaking the tense silence. "Can you put your mask on?" he asked, his voice sounding oddly strangled. Jongin tilted his head at the odd request but complied, lowering his head to snap the black elastic on, before fluffing his hair over the top of it.

When Jongin raised his head again, there was a sharp intake of breath from one of them and a tiny "fuck" from Sehun. Now Jongin was most definitely confused. "Is there something wrong?" He pulled at his suit jacket. "Does it look bad?"

Seeing as Sehun was slack-jawed and speechless, Luhan spoke for both of them. "No!" He practically exclaimed. He took a breath before repeating with a softer tone. "No. Yo-you just look really nice. You should dress like this more often, you look like an angel."

Sehun found his voice again by that time, echoing Luhan's sentiment. "Definitely an angel." Jongin flushed under the compliments, looking down and awkwardly twisting his hands.

"Taxi's here," Luhan announced quietly, finally tearing his eyes away from Jongin to look at his phone. "Let's go."

~

By the time the three of them entered, quite a lot of people had already arrived, decked out in appropriate splendour. Grand marble pillars stood at each corner, with long rectangular tables laden with canapés extending between them. Most of the guests seemed to be congregated near these tables. Servers dressed in tailcoats rotated around the floor, holding brightly coloured drinks upon silver trays. Sehun picked a red one, handing it to Jongin with a mention of its fruity taste.

Luhan headed directly for the far corner where only a few people lingered. His target seemed to be a shorter Korean man wearing a purple mask leaning against one of the pillars. As the three approached, the man noticed them, pushing off with his foot, a smile spreading across his face.

"Luhan!" the man grinned broadly, holding out his arms for a hug with his glass balanced delicately between two fingers. Luhan wrapped his arms around the man quickly before pulling away. The man then turned to look behind Luhan, scrutinising the remaining pair with a thoughtful face. "Ah!" He snapped his fingers, pointing at Sehun. "You're, um, Sehan?"

"Sehun," Sehun corrected quietly, dipping into a slight bow. "It's an honour to meet you again, Minseok sir."

Minseok laughed too loud for a man his size, waving a hand around flippantly. "There's no need for the sir, any, ah, friend of Luhan's is a friend of mine." He then turned his gaze onto Jongin. "But who's this?"

"His name is Jongin," Luhan interjected before Jongin could even open his mouth. "He's travelling with us." Minseok nodded, as if he understood, turning on his heel to leave.

"Well make sure you come find me later, there are some wonderful pieces here that I simply must show you!"

Once Minseok had disappeared, Jongin turned to Luhan with a question on his lips. "Who's Minseok?" It was odd that someone would be so familiar with Luhan and yet barely remember Sehun's name, Jongin thought that they were always attached at the hip.

"Minseok is a businessman," Luhan answered. "He and I were colleagues a long time ago, before I changed professions."

"Not just a businessman," Sehun interrupted. "He's a billionaire and incredibly clever. A lot of things he does for his company many would disagree with, but his record is completely spotless."

Clever and rich; the worst possible combination. At least Minseok was on their side…Jongin stopped dead in his tracks, at the realisation that he had just referred to the three of them with a collective pronoun. "Jongin?" Sehun asked. "Is everything fine?"

Jongin started, blinking rapidly until he focused on Sehun's concerned face. "Fine, fine. Everything's fine." And right now, it really was.

They decided to try the finger food laid out upon the tables next, which Jongin recognised absolutely none of them. Not that he even had to choose anything, once Sehun and Luhan had ascertained that Jongin was not allergic or intolerant to everything, they started forcing food into his hand or directly into his mouth with rapid fire explanations of what they were. Jongin didn't remember any of their brief summaries, nor did he even remember what he had eaten in the first place. There were simply too many to count.

An hour later, the trio left the main hall filled with its conversation in foreign tongues and orchestral music to see the whole point of this function which was the art gallery. Jongin hadn't been to many art galleries in his life, so he had nothing to compare it against when he judged it to be completely wonderful. While he did not recognise a single artists' name in the entire exhibition, nor understand the level of difficulty needed for the paintings or sculptures or other works, he could however appreciate them nonetheless.

All conversation seemed to cut off outside the main hall, a comfortable silence settling that was barely broken by the sounds of their footsteps. So absorbed in admiring the art was Jongin, that he didn't even hear someone walking up to him, until the person was right next to him.

"Lovely detail isn't it?" This time Jongin prided himself on not jumping and/or screaming at the sudden sound, instead simply flinching before turning to see Minseok standing next to him, regarding the painting.

"Uhh…yes?" Jongin said, unsure of how to respond.

His lack of an answer didn't seem to faze Minseok. "Can you imagine just how long it would have taken to create this?"

At the pause Jongin panicked internally, his mind too blank to help him. "Not really, I'm not an artist," Jongin laughed awkwardly, the sound dying out when Minseok did not join in. Jongin looked down in embarrassment, rubbing at his wrists before glancing up with his eyes only to find Minseok regarding him carefully.

"Walk with me, Jongin," Minseok ordered, leaving no room for refusal. Jongin followed.

"What do you do for a living?" Minseok asked conversationally, strolling at a leisurely pace.

"I-I'm a police officer." Jongin was thrown by the unexpectedly normal question, lengthening his stride, which had become shorter out of nerves.

"Noble occupation."

"Thank you."

They walked in silence for a moment. Every time Minseok didn't reply, Jongin had a mini heart attack. He wasn't sure what it was about the billionaire that almost scared him. "How old are you Jongin?" Minseok continued, his voice and appearance completely steady.

"Twenty four." Jongin had graduated at eighteen, taken a three-year university course then worked in the force for three years.

"Oh." Minseok seemed surprised. "You're the same age as Sehun then."

"Am I?"

Minseok nodded. "Yes. Luhan and I are both twenty eight though." That revelation made Jongin stop dead in his tracks, staring at Minseok with disbelief written over his face.

"Luhan's twenty eight?" Jongin exclaimed loudly before slapping a hand over his mouth, glancing around furtively. At Minseok's confirmation, Jongin's shock climbed higher. There was no way that there was a four-year difference between him and Luhan, Luhan definitely did not look like someone in their late twenties.

"Speaking of Luhan," Minseok started, looking behind Jongin. "It appears that you have been separated with your companions." Jongin frowned, turning his head to peek behind him before turning in a complete revolution with his body to discover that indeed, Sehun and Luhan no longer stood there.

Jongin cursed under his breath, starting to head back in the direction that he had walked before remembering that Minseok had been with him. He turned back around, bowing with a thank you muttered before rushing off again, but not before he thought he heard a "be careful" from the billionaire. When he twisted his head back again, Minseok was gone. That was strange.

It took a while for Jongin to find his…friends? Companions? Acquaintances? Jongin wasn't sure what to classify the pair as. However because of his terrible sense of direction, he ended up walking in a circle three times before he managed to stumble down a path that he hadn't seen before, eerily empty of anyone. It was a narrow hallway, the walls close enough that if Jongin should stretch out his arms, his palms would be flat against its white easily.

As Jongin neared the end of the hallway, he could hear hushed whispers and his footsteps quickened, albeit still almost silent. However once he did reach the end, all sound in the room cut off completely and he stepped out into a staff-only room, devoid of anything but a single empty glass box on a chestnut table. Jongin stood in the doorway, roaming his eyes across the walls, the ceiling and noticing the single security camera pointed at the table had its red light turned off.

Then Jongin saw the one thing he had missed in his brief sweep of the room, an all too familiar white mask laying in the not quite empty box. The very sight of it sent a bucket of cold water down his spine, Jongin unable to tear his eyes away.

"Come out," Jongin demanded and at any other time, he would have been shocked at just how cold and harsh he sounded. Sehun and Luhan crept out from their hiding place, exchanging glances then slowly approaching Jongin as if they were nearing a wild animal.

"We can explain," Luhan started, hands held out with his palms towards Jongin. "But first we need to leave. Now."

It wasn't easy to ignore Luhan when he was giving Jongin a doe eyed pleading stare but Jongin managed it, closing his eyes in anger and turning his gaze on Sehun. "What did you steal?" He forced out.

Sehun obliged, reaching into a pocket on his jacket and pulling out a flash of blue before dropping it back into the depths. "Jewel," he replied simply.

"Look Jongin," Luhan interrupted, holding out a hand. Behind him, Sehun started picking the lock of the exit door. "I know you're upset-"

"Upset?" Jongin snarled before taking a deep breath and speaking in a tight voice. " _Upset_ doesn't do it justice."

"-But you need to decide whose side you're on. Are you going to come with us or stay here and put the authorities on us?" Luhan continued. Jongin was torn; glancing between Luhan and Sehun then looking behind him, back up the hallway. It would be so easy to walk up there, grab a phone and report them to the French police. That was what he _should_ do. But looking back at the growing desperation on Luhan's face and the false impassivity on Sehun's, Jongin found that he couldn't just betray them like that.

Jongin huffed angrily, walking across to the other side of the table and purposefully ignoring the expression of relief on their faces. "This is not over," he muttered, even as he ran away from the scene of the crime, with the two executers beside him.

The taxi back to the hotel was unbearably tense, enough so that even the driver didn't dare to speak a word.

Once inside their suite, Jongin threw the masquerade mask into a corner, running agitated hands through his hair repeatedly as he tried to verbalise his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he actually _had_ the right to feel betrayed, when they had made no promises in the first place.

"What was the purpose of this trip?" Jongin started, drawing up a chair and slumping into it backwards, facing the back with his chin resting on the chair's top.

"It was just a holiday," Luhan started, playing with his standard gold mask and the sight of it only served to further frustrate Jongin.

"And the thievery?" Jongin prompted, eyes straying to Sehun's pocket. "That just happens on a normal holiday, doesn't it?"

This time Sehun spoke, pulling the jewel out and holding it in front of it him. "The business offer was received whilst we were flying here and we accepted."

Jongin stared at the two in disbelief, shaking his head. "You're still the Deer and the Doll, even after everything."

"Jongin, we didn't promise you anything," Luhan said softly. "We promised you that we could pretend for two days that we're weren't criminals but we didn't fucking promise to change our ways!" As he spoke, his voice gradually increased in volume until he was practically shouting at the end.

It was the first time that Luhan had been anything but courteous to Jongin and the shock of it managed to clear Jongin's mind, before the anger at being shouted at could settle in. Luhan was right; Jongin had simply been deluding himself that the three of them could actually be anything but on opposite sides. Had he been so desperate that he had actually convinced himself, for just a short span of time, that the crown was actually just plastic?

Decision made, Jongin steeled his shoulders, lifting his head but not making eye contact with any of them. "I want to go home," Jongin articulated, voice devoid of emotion.

"What?"

"I want to go home," Jongin repeated. "Let me go home."

~

The jet back was silent with tension.

When they reached the place they had been staying at in Korea, Jongin was led back to his white bedroom to see his own clothes, neatly folded in a blue and black bundle on the white bedspread. He slipped off his white pants and sweater, letting them pool on the ground as he stepped into a pair of black pants and a blue button down. He didn't belong here, he realised as he looked at himself in the mirror, a dark smudge against a pristine backdrop.

Jongin opened the door to see Sehun standing there, eyes downcast and hands clasped behind his back. "Luhan didn't mean to yell."

Jongin stared at Sehun. "I know."

"Are you still going to go?"

Now that Sehun had voiced the nagging question in Jongin's mind, he honestly had no idea. He honestly liked spending time with both Sehun and Luhan; they had developed a comfortable relationship. On the other hand, what was there for Jongin if he stayed? He certainly didn’t agree with their way of life. Sometimes Jongin hated his logic.

"Yes."

Sehun looked positively crestfallen, enough so that Jongin was tempted to take back his words, just so he wouldn't have to see Sehun that upset again. But he did nothing, until Sehun held up a black piece of fabric. Jongin sighed internally, bowing his head to allow the blindfold to settle over his eyes.

It was always disconcerting to lose his sight, to open his eyes and still see the same blackness greeting him. But Sehun's hand was strong and secure, leading him down to the garage and shielding his head from bumping against the roof as he entered the car. The trip itself was quiet, Jongin leaning his head against the window and trying to count how long it took, but giving up when it required too much concentration.

When the car pulled up, none of them moved for a minute. "Will we see you again?" Luhan asked and the sadness was back, clawing itself up Jongin's throat.

He swallowed. "Next time I see you, I'll probably arrest you."

There was a beat pause, before the driver's seat opened and shut. Soon Jongin's heard his own door click and could feel the cool autumn's breeze against his leg. He made to exit the car but fingers wrapped around his wrist and yanked him backwards. "Don't forget about us," Sehun whispered directly into Jongin's ear. He shivered, goosebumps breaking out where Sehun had breathed, but then he felt a pair of cool lips press against his cheek right next to his lips. Jongin froze, unsure of how to respond before he was pulled gently out of the car and helped awkwardly into a standing position.

"Here," Luhan murmured, handing something to Jongin which he instinctively clutched, forehead furrowing as he brushed over the bumpy object. "Well then." Luhan paused and Jongin imagined him glancing around, trying to find the right words. "I would say goodbye, but I don't really like that word so here's an alternative."

"We'll see you soon." Luhan squeezed Jongin's arms, all the warning he received before Luhan kissed him. Well, a kiss was a far stretch, it was barely a touch on the lips for half a millisecond, but combined with the echo of Sehun's lips still on his cheek, it was enough to make him feel warm in the autumn chill.

Jongin didn't move, until the sound of the car speeding off faded away. Then he pulled off the blindfold, shakily brushing his fingers across his mouth, before looking down at the object Luhan had handed him.

It was the crown.

Jongin didn’t know if he was laughing or crying anymore.

~

Predictably, when Jongin showed up at the police station there was pandemonium. His father had been just hours away from filing a missing persons report, but Jongin had showed up again before the forty-eight hour mark. Once Jongin presented his father with the crown that had been stolen almost a week ago, the questions didn't stop coming. How did he get it? Where had he been?

Jongin fed them all lies. He told them that he had been tracking the Deer and the Doll since the crown had been lost, which ended up in him being kidnapped by the duo.

Did they hurt him? No, they mostly ignored him as they went about their business, they were simply interested in the fact that he had come closer to finding them, than anyone else had.

Did they ever take their masks off? No, it seemed to be permanently glued to their faces and besides, why would they be careless enough to let it slip around a police officer? There was a reason why they had evaded capture for so long.

Jongin managed to sneak out one day and by chance he stumbled upon the crown. So he stole it and somehow managed to end up back here. Of course, he didn't remember the location of their hideout, it was dark and Jongin was on the run after all.

When Jongin had finally satisfied the masses, he was dismissed with no more than a pat on the back from his father, before he was shut out of yet another meeting for higher ranked officers and told to go home and rest. It was the same routine that he now realised; just how much it annoyed him.

As Jongin walked back to his apartment, he wondered what it'd be like if he had stayed. Stayed with two of the most infamous and wanted thieves in the world.

The Deer and the Doll.


End file.
